30 Under 30: Blake Scotland

Name: Blake Scotland | Boutique Owner

Age: 26

As you cruise the streets of the lower east side of New York on your way to pick up your second latte for the day from Starbucks, you can’t help but stop to take a look at what might be inside this trendy little spot called Blake Scotland. Step inside and you’re likely to to meet Blake Scotland herself, the epitome of a trendsetter!

Blake describes the store as “reflective of the neighborhood it is in. The lower east side is a really youthful, trendsetting neighborhood, and their customers are just that. They are creative young professionals who definitely want to set the trends, not follow them. All of the pieces in the store have to be multi-functional and have to move. My customers are people on the go. It is a space where people feel comfortable to come in to chill and say what’s up. People in the neighborhood really have come to see it as a neighborhood staple.”

Blake Scotland has become such a hot name and place to shop, people wonder if they will soon be wearing the name Blake Scotland. The store currently only carries outside brands, but recently they have been asking for a Blake Scotland brand. Though, it wasn’t initially in her plans to create her on line, Blake is starting to take that option very serious.

Blake got started after doing PR in London, and deciding to return home to see what she could pursue in New York. After taking a minute to herself, she eventually decided that it was time to get back to work. She thought to herself, “If I could do anything in the world, I would have a store.” It was her dream job, but it seem so far-fetched. After much consideration, she realized that it could be done. People figure it out, why couldn’t she? She started researching everything from how to find space, what brands she would carry, and started reaching out to designers. People thought she had a cool idea and agreed to let her carry their designs and it took off from there.

The store wasn’t always called Blake Scotland. It was originally called Ferality, which she got from an article she read in New York Magazine called the Ferality Show. Like most people Blake had no clue what “ferality” meant, so she looked it up. The word is defined as “a return to the wild from domestication,” and Blake instantly fell in love with the feeling the word evoked..

The best thing about what she does is that she gets to embrace her talent for buying. She also feels that getting to know her customer is really satisfying. It is always great when they select pieces and the feedback is, “this is what we want to wear.”

She would like to see Nicole Richie in her clothes. She says, “the Olsen twins would be exciting to dress as well. They are really fun dressers, they take risk, and they just go with how they feel.” She also loves Erykah Badu’s style, pointing out that she is really eclectic and wears a bunch of different things.

Her first job was working for her aunt who is a dermatologist.

People might be surprised to know she has an old soul despite presenting as extremely outgoing and young.

Blake advises people to be patient and not expect instant success. Don’t expect instant gratification as far as how quickly things are going to take off and how instantly you are going to have everything you want. It doesn’t happen like that. It takes time.